Attachment for shoes



(No Model.)

E. T. GILBERT; ATTACHMENT FOR SHOES.

No. 588,977. Patented Aug. 31,1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR T. GII. IERT, 0F ROGlIES"ER, llElV YRK.

ATTACHMENT FOR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,977, dated August 31, 1897.

Application filed July 17, 1896. Serial No. 599,532 (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

le it known that I, EDGAR T. GILBERT, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Shoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-letters marked thereon.

My invention has for its objects to provide an attachment for shoes in the nature of an insole adapted to increase the apparent height of the wearer, to cause a better lit of the shoe across the instep should the wearer have a low heel or instep, and to produce a more or less elastic support for the heel, reducing the shocks in walking; and to these ends the invention consists in certain improvements which will be hereinafter described and the novel features pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional view showing the application of my invention to a shoe; Fig. a bottom plan view of the attachment; Fig. 3, a section on the line .rr of Fig. 2; Fig. l, a side view of a modification.

Similar reference-letters in the several figures indicate similar parts.

The attachment consists generally of two or more lifts or strips a a, of light flexible material, such as cork, each having a series of perforations b through them for ventilation, and fastened together at or near their rear ends, and preferably tapered or skivcd thinner at their front ends, as shown, so as to produce a lift or support gradually increasing in thickness toward the rear. The upper strip a is the longer and is provided with a cover b', of leather or similar material, perforated for Ventilating purposes and secured in position by cement or glue, and the devices for secur ing the lifts o. a. together may be of any suitable construction, but I prefer to employ those shown,resemblin g ordinary McGill paper-fasteners, the heads c being between the cover h' and the upper strip a, and the legs d being passed through the lower strip and separated.

If desired, three strips or lifts could be employed, as in Fig. l, and other detachable fastening devices used for holding the parts together.

As the strips are free at the forward end to move upon each other the flexibility of the shoe is not materially interfered with, ami the perforations permit a circulation of air, which latter is facilitated bythe slight movement of the foot permitted by the elasticity of the cork strips.

The manner of using the device isapparent, and among the advantages the fact may be mentioned that a better fit of the shoe over the instep is afforded, particularly if the wearer has a low instep or a short heel, while the removability ofthe lifts enables him toadjust the attachment to his satisfaction. 'lhns when he begins its use he may use one ortwo lifts and gradually increase the n nmber as his muscles accommodate themselves to the slight change in the position of the foot in walking.

In the construction shown in Fig. l an intermediate liftfis inserted between the lifts n a, and others could be added, if desired, the character of the fastening' devices permitting the changes to be made as desired.

These devices can be made at a nominal cost and I find in practice are admirably adapted for the purpose intended.

I claim as my invention- 1. An insole for application to the inside of shoes, composed of a plurality of strips u of cork or similar flexible material of varying lengths and thinner at their forward ends, detachable connecting devices for securing the strips together at their rear portions only, and a cover b for the upper strip, substantially as described.

2. A loose insole for application to the inside of shoes composed of a plurality of perforated strips (L of cork or similar flexible material of varying lengths and thinner at their forward ends, a detachable connector for connecting the strips, embodying the head c and the separable legs and a cover b' for the insole e.\' tending over the head of the connector, substantially as described.

EDGAR 'l`. GILBERT. lVitnesses:

F. l?. Carnon, G. A. Rom.. 

